Sikora presented in Arena.

On Monday Victor Sikora was presented to the press by Ajax. Subsequently, the forward signed a four-year contract. So did managing director Arie van Eijden. Now, nothing can come between club and player.

A long process of negotiations preceded Sikoras transfer to Ajax. Ajax could not offer the amount Vitesse was asking for its player. Last week, things seemed at a dead end when it was reported that Sikora had left for Fulham, to negotiate a transfer there. That deal went wrong and Ajax was back in the picture.

Sikora had never hidden the fact that his club of choice was Ajax. Eventually, the deal was done last weekend, so Monday July 22 will be recorded as Sikoras first working day at Ajax.

On the press conference Monday morning, Van Eijden clarified Ajaxs point of view. He emphasised that it was not a matter of the club not wanting to pay more for the player. The managing director has to maintain the continuity of the club and therefore he did not want to take too great a risk. ,,Now we see that a higher offer from another club did not lead to that club actually being able to pay more. That is why we are very pleased that Vitesse has come back to us to ask if we were still interested in Sikora. Luckily, we have been able to profit from the circumstances to get the deal done, clarified Van der Eijde.

After the contract was signed Leo Beenhakker handed the shirt to the brand new Ajax player. Sikora will wear number 27 this season.

Sikora himself made a few comments. He had always kept a transfer to Ajax in the back of his mind. ,,As long as the contracts have not been signed, you should keep your options open. Luckily, everything fell into place, because Ajax was always my first choice. I am exactly where I wanted to be, a relieved Sikora said.

The question how his week had been he answered deadpan: ,,Seven days long. Sikora revealed that the negotiations with Fulham were never very promising. ,,It was all a bit vague. I sensed that the deal would fall through, so I returned home on Thursday. Now I am glad that I can stay in Holland. In my mind I had already said Vitesse goodbye, but I did not want to cancel another club. One can always go and listen to what they have to say. If that does not work out en things take a turn like this, it is just very fortunate for me, Sikora emphasised again.